


Small Beginnings

by hardboiledbaby



Category: Alias Smith and Jones
Genre: Gen, Kid Fic, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-05
Updated: 2010-01-05
Packaged: 2017-10-05 19:42:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/45399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hardboiledbaby/pseuds/hardboiledbaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just some lighthearted fluff, about when the boys really were just boys.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Small Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently, the boys aren't mine, darn it. No money involved.
> 
> Edited by Dawnebeth, whose vast knowledge of all things ASJ continues to impress me. Of course, the muse simply has to have the last word, and tinkers when she should leave well enough alone. Any missteps are hers.

It was the kind of late summer day that was made for doing absolutely nothing. At least, so it seemed to Han, as he lay on the bank of the creek and watched the fluffy white clouds as they slowly drifted across a backdrop of brilliant blue sky.

"We got to head back soon, Han. It's almost time for supper."

Han didn't move. "I wish we could stay here forever," he murmured.

Jed sat nearby, skipping pebbles across the surface of the water. He said doubtfully, "I don't think our folks would take too kindly to that."

"Oh, my pa's busy getting ready for a trip in to town tomorrow. He's not going to notice if I'm a little late," Han responded airily.

"Well, mine will." Jed stood up, scattered the last of his fistful of stones on the ground, and dusted off his hands. "Besides, I'm hungry. Come _on_, Han."

"You're always hungry, kid," Han groaned, but gave in. "Oh, all right." He got to his feet and the two boys started walking. "You know, school's going to be starting soon. Between that and chores, we won't have much time to come out here anymore," he grumbled. They'd lucked on to the swimming hole just a month ago, and since then, had been sneaking out to it every chance they got. Apparently, no one else knew about it, so they'd had it all to themselves for a few blissful weeks.

More and more, it was just the two of them, and Han found he liked it that way. Out of all his friends, Jed was the only one who could be counted on to fall in with whatever plan Han cooked up, no matter how long the odds for success were, or how severe the punishment would be if they got caught. Once, Pa had called Jed his "little shadow," but Grandpa Heyes had disagreed. "No, a shadow hounds your steps, and only for as long as the sun shines," he'd said. "Young Jedidiah sticks close to you, it's true, but he's no follower. He walks by your side, through thick or thin, rain or shine. Not one man in a thousand will do that, my boy, you remember that."

"I don't want to go back to school," Jed sighed. "Sums make my head hurt."

Han laughed as he slung his arm over Jed's shoulder and playfully chucked his friend on the chin. "Don't worry, kid. I'll help you." The younger boy suddenly broke out of his hold, surprising him.

"Stop calling me 'kid' already!" Jed snapped.

"Whoa! I don't mean nothing by it, Jed," Han protested, puzzled.

Jed's face reddened, and he looked away. "I know," he admitted. "It's just that... everybody does it. It's not fair. I'm not the youngest anymore. Annabelle's the kid now."

_Yeah, but your sister's only four years old,_ Han thought. _You're still the youngest boy in school._ He felt a pang of guilt. Now that Han thought about it, everyone did call him "kid," including Jed's own brothers Nathan and Aaron. Jed was getting bigger now, but he'd been the smallest among them for so long that the label stuck. Han had never realized that it was a label that his best friend dearly wished would peel away and be forgotten.

The trouble was, once they were back in school, Jed would once again be dismissed like the runt of the litter, and there was nothing Han could do to change that. Unless, maybe...

"No," he said suddenly. "You're not just any kid. You're _the_ Kid. Kid Curry."

Jed blinked up at him. "Huh?"

"You know, a nickname." At Jed's dubious expression, he pressed on. "You want to be a marshal, don't you? Well, then, you've got to have a good nickname. All the famous marshals have 'em," he stated confidently. Inside, he hoped Jed wouldn't want to know which ones, because he couldn't come up with any, right off. The only nicknames that came to mind belonged to gunfighters and outlaws.

Jed appeared to be giving the matter some thoughtful consideration, though, so Han held his tongue and waited. They continued walking in silence for a while. Finally, Jed asked hopefully, "You truly think 'Kid' is a good nickname, Han?"

Han nodded solemnly. "I do. It suits you. You're gonna be the youngest marshal in the county. No one will be better than Kid Curry." He meant it sincerely, and he knew Jed could tell that he did. Jed's face brightened as he smiled, but then a look of concern crossed it.

"What about you, Han?" Jed asked. "We have to come up with a good one for you, too."

Han shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. Lawyers don't usually have nicknames."

"So?" Jed challenged. "You could be the first. Anyway, anything's got to be better than your _real_ name, right?"

Han winced. His first name _was_ a sore spot. His ma assured him that, in time, he'd grow to appreciate being named after some great military commander, but he had his doubts. "Yeah, okay, fine. You pick something, and we'll see if it works."

Jed fell silent again. As Han watched, Jed became a study of intense concentration: he furrowed his brow, hunched his shoulders, and thrust his bottom lip out. But after several minutes of hard thinking, he turned back to Han, crestfallen. "Aw, I can't come up with anything clever. The only thing I could think of was 'Heyes,' just 'cause it sounds more grown up and all."

_Heyes._ Funny, he'd never thought about going by just his last name before, but it wasn't a bad idea. None of the men folk in his family did, and it sure was better than "Hannibal." He was fairly certain he'd need to use his given name to get into law school, but for now...

"You know, I like the sound of that."

"You do?" Jed was startled, but pleased.

"Yeah." Han grinned. "Tell you what, I'll call you 'Kid' and you call me 'Heyes,' and pretty soon it'll catch on like wildfire."

"You really think so, Han--I mean, Heyes?"

"Sure, Kid. We'll be famous."


End file.
